German
Brazil: Automobile Museum, Blumenau & LPG Adapter
June 2023
Blumenau, Brazil
For several days we camped on the square of the German Cultural Centre in the middle of the interesting city Blumenau. Businesspeople from half the city met at lunchtime for the varied buffet in the cultural center. We also enjoyed the rich buffet.
We weren't the only ones on the site, as whole groups of cute rodent’s agouti kept us entertaining.
Automobile Museum in Pomerode
This small museum fascinated with over thirty, super restored American vintage cars from the 60s and 70s. There was also a Pontiac, with which I was allowed to drive as a small boy with my father. Many memories came up.
Camping in South Brazil
Normally we stay overnight in Brazil on camping sites, publicly advertised sites with other campers, or rather rarely on Postos (large gas stations with good infrastructure). Never alone on the beach or anywhere else.
Recently we parked in Florianópolis on a huge parking lot next to a sports park. The police officers who happened to be there said that we could park anywhere, we just had to stay in the car. We occupied one of the few free spaces.
Later that evening, I also did two 800-meter laps around the heavily populated sports complex.
In the morning at five o'clock I looked out from our camper on the well-lit parking lot. I could not believe my eyes; we were parked completely alone in the huge parking lot. Unimaginable, after the fully occupied place of the previous evening.
Fortunately, spending the night alone on a square in Brazil does not always have to end negatively.
Shopping in Brazil
Without CPF, Brazilian tax number, purchases are not possible. Groceries we received with the note tourists.
Getting a SIM card to access the Internet is very complicated and difficult. With the providers Claro and TIM (is the same company) we received a SIM "paquete Blanco" for tourists. This card worked only in the cell phone, but not in the iPad. The information reloading would be easy, then proved impossible in another Claro store. After a long discussion, we then received another SIM card, supposedly credit reloading possible. We left the country before we needed more gigabytes.
Driving behavior in Brazil
In South Brazil, most of the drivers drive very fast to negligent.
Motorcycle drivers with powerful engines are often insanely loud and attract attention with criminal maneuvers, especially in built-up areas.
Even at speeds of more than 80 km/h, drivers stick annoyingly at the rear with only 3-5 meters distance, to overtake then at the most unfortunate moment.
In columns behind slower moving trucks with more than 20 vehicles, there are always several disturbed drivers who overtake at the most dangerous places and then push in. In the end, however, after 10 minutes they are only a few hundred meters ahead in the same column.
Speed limits are there to be blatantly overtaken. In the case of clearly visible, fixed radar controls, however, the speed limit is then snuck past.
On two-lane highways, both lanes occupied by speeding vehicles, overtaking on the right and left is still an attempt to grab a few more meters.
I'm certainly not a slow, fearful driver.
But what sometimes happens here in traffic makes you think about the majority of drivers in this country, explains the many ambulances that are on the road every day. In the few weeks we were on the road in Brazil, we saw more than enough accidents where people lying on the roadway and were just covered.
It is therefore understandable that there are extreme speed bumps every few hundred meters in the built-up areas. Also radar traps can be seen in abundance.
I have an allergy to the driving style of drivers in China. In Brazil, unfortunately, it's not much better!
Very positive, however: In urban areas, anyone standing in front of a pedestrian strip, the cars will be stopped with their hazard warning lights on!
LPG Gas tank connection adapter
Our American gas tank, installed in the Sprinter, we can refill in Argentina without problems directly from the propane truck without adapter.
Without much heating the camper one filling will last for three to four months.
The negative information on the internet about the different adapters needed in various countries, made us search extensively for adapters on the net. We found what we were looking for.
We ordered an adapter set with various thread dimensions. So, with some tinkering we will be more autonomous!
Brazilian Breakfast
Edy loves the Maniok bread and Nespresso coffee.
